Thieves try to steal almost half a tonne of olives as harvest begins in Spain

Harvested olives in Spain. Olive oil prices have risen across Europe as drought and other adverse weather conditions have affected harvests. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images

Police in southern Spain have thwarted the theft of almost half a tonne of olives as the country’s harvest season begins and the lucrative fruit becomes a tempting target for opportunistic thieves and professional criminal gangs.

The verdeo – or collecting of the green olives – takes place in the early autumn and marks the beginning of the harvest season. As it got under way in Seville province this week, officers from Spain’s Guardia Civil force prevented 465kg (73st 2lbs) of olives from being stolen near the town of Albaida del Aljarafe.